Ditching-machine



2 Shets-Sheet 1v W. STACY. Ditching-Machine,

No. 225,657. Patented r.- 16, 1-880.

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2 Sheets--Sheet 2 W. STACY. Ditching-Machine,

No. 225,657. Patented Mar. 16, 80.

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UNITED STATES PATENT ()nrrcs.

WILLIAM STACY, OF COTTAGE, IOWA.

DITCH lNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 225,657, dated March 16, 1880. Application filed August 19, 1878.

I do hereby declare the following to be a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in the 1 construction and arrangement of an improved ditching-machine, as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the annexed drawings, in connection with Letters Patent No. 105,858, dated July 26, 1870, which were granted to me for an improved machine for ditching and hedging.

Figure l is a side elevation. plan view of my machine.

A A represent two parallel beams, placed a suitable distance apart and connected by crosshars B B, to the front one of which the turnclevis O D is secured, said turn-clevis consisting of pinion C (the middle portion being toothed, the ends or bearing-points smooths'urfaced) and rack-bar or segment 0 which is toothed along the center, with smooth surface on either-side thereof, to correspond with the similar or corresponding parts ot'the pinion. By this arrangement the draft is borne by or upon the smooth surfaces, and the teeth are made use of to carry the clevis D across from side to side. to pass obstructions or change the direction of the draft while the machine is in operation.

K K represent roller and wheel, roller K extending transversely across immediately behind cross-bars B B, and wheel K attached to rib N and wing O, with slot for adjusting same, the purpose of both roller and wheel being to lighten the draft of the machine.

V represents a diagonal crossbar connected with the beams A A, for the purpose of staying or supporting ribs N and wing O.

W is the land-side, and is connected to post E and brace It, which is fastened to cross-bar B, for the purpose of steadying the machine when in operation.

Fig. 2 is a L is the mold-board, fastened to the front edge of post E, and to the ribs N, cross-bar V, and wing O, the whole being constructed as shown in Fig. 2, for the purpose of carrying the dirt to one side at the rear end of side beam, A.

The wing 0, connected with side beam, A,

and inclined shelfP, connected with side beam,

A, wing O, and mold-board L, are for the purpose of removing the dirt a suitable distance from the ditch and turning the same bottom side up.

Slots M M in mold-board L are for the purpose of admitting water to the inner surface of the mold-board when desired. Stops may be placed in the slots when the condition of the soil requires the same.

Y is a shield attached to side beam, A, and brace E, to prevent rubbish from accumulating in the angle between brace E and side beagn, A.

S is a chute or conductor connected with the cross-bar B and bottom G,for the purpose of conveying water to the front end of the moldboard L and rear end of the point T, thereby relieving the friction and preventing the dirt from sticking to the mold-hoard. When there is no water in the ditch water is to be poured into said chute or conductor from the top. When, however, there is water in the ditch, such water is allowed to pass into an opening, :20, in the side of the chute, and thence to the front end of the moldboard. Over the opening 00 is arranged avalve, w, to open and close said opening as required, said valve being operated by a suitable rod.

Point T is connected to knives I I and the upper side of bottom G, with arise or elevation at the center of the rear end, directly over the opening of the conductor S, for the purpose of creating a vacuum or space inthe soil as it passes onto the mold-board L, and thereby admitting the water from the opening in the lower end of the conductor S, as hereinbefore described.

I I are knives, connected at the upper end with side beams, A A, and below with point T. A dovetail on the lower ends of knives I I is inserted in the point T, holding both securely in place. In the upper ends of the knives I are slots provided with notches, through which the knives are fastened to said beams A by bolts of the proper form for the purpose of increasing or lessening the downward draft of the machine as the condition of the soil requires.

The conical-shaped piece U, fastened to rear end of bottom G, is for the purpose'of forming a channel in the middle of the ditch, and thereby preventing the washing and caving of the banks.

H H is an attachment fastened at the rear end of bottom G by two parallel rods running back and forming a half-circle, connected at the upper ends by a cross-bar, from which cross-bar extends an adjustable brace to a piece fastened to cross-bar B. A half-circle knife is fastened by a swivel or movable joint to the lower bar of the half-circled rods, the ends of the knife extending above the movable joint and received in a slot, and fastened at the upper bar of the half-circled rods by a peg which will break when the knife comes in contact with any unusual obstruction. This knife is for the purpose of cutting the ditch deeper when passing over an elevation.

A is awheel attached to thearms B B and spool O, for the purpose of turning spool O by attaching lever and rod G G. Arms B B, fastened to wheel A and spool O, are for the purpose of connecting the wheel and spool aforesaid, and for strengthening the same.

Flanges D are of cast-iron, the upper one being so constructed as to slip over the stem of spool O, and the lower one with a gudgeon extending upward into the spool and downward into cross-bar E. Flanges D are flaring, and

are provided with ribs radiating outward from the gudgeon and running to a point at the edge of the flange.

The flanges D are connected by bolts through the outer edge of spool G, and are for the purpose of holding rope in proper place while being wound on spool G.

Cross-bar E is to receive the gudgeon of lower flange, D, and the lower ends of braces F F. Braces F F are for the purpose of bracing the upper end of spool and frame and to prevent the breaking of flanges D. The crane H is for thepurpose of holding up the lever and rod G G when the rod is detached from wheel A, to allow the rope to be unwound or run off the spool (J. The crane H is also used to support the lever and rod G G while moving the machine from place to place.

I am aware that a draft-clevis and laterallymoving frictional roller or pulley combined with the front cross bar of the frame are not new, and ldo not therefore claim such, broadly,

as my invention; but,

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The clevis D, provided with a pinion, G, mounted between the ends of the clevis, and working on a rack-bar attached to the crossbar B of the frame, as and for the purposes set forth.

2. Attachment H H, with circle-knife, constructed and arranged to operate substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

3. The combination of the point T, moldboard L, and water-conductor S, having the opening .90 and valve 00, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

WM. STACY.

Witnesses:

S. M. WEAVER, W. H. WooDs. 

